In truth, Taishang Laozi and the others were also stunned by the scene before them.
Jieyin and Zhunti had considered the possibility that Tongtian would defeat Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi.
But they had never expected Tongtian to crush Yuanshi so overwhelmingly.
Once they recovered from their brief shock, however, Jieyin and Zhunti began playing off each other again.
"Senior Brother Laozi, it seems you don't understand your junior brother well enough!"
"That's odd. Surely Senior Brother Laozi should know both his junior brothers very well. How did he misjudge things this time?"
"We shouldn't call it a misjudgment, should we? Perhaps Senior Brother Yuanshi went easy on Senior Brother Tongtian."
"Now I have to disagree with you there. If Senior Brother Yuanshi really wanted to go easy on Senior Brother Tongtian, why would he resort to a sneak attack just now?"
"..."
In short, Jieyin and Zhunti intended to voice every excuse Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi might offer later before he could say them himself.
They would leave him no loopholes!
What a joke!
If they didn't trample their enemy underfoot now, were they supposed to let him climb back up and drag them down instead?
Taishang Laozi truly felt weary now.
His expression grew increasingly grim.
In truth, Hongjun had also helped push the relationship between the three of them to this point.
Laozi had always understood that perfectly well; he simply hadn't wanted to expose it.
Now that Tongtian had revealed his strength, however, Taishang Laozi began reconsidering their relationship.
Before Laozi could reach any conclusion, he heard the Dao Ancestor's voice.
Laozi's figure flashed, and he headed into Zixiao Palace.
Only after bowing to the Dao Ancestor seated at the head did Laozi speak softly.
"Teacher, did you summon me because you have instructions for me?"
Hongjun nodded, then asked evenly.
"What do you think the outcome of this battle will be?"
Taishang Laozi paused, then answered hesitantly.
"I believe Junior Brother Yuanshi will not lose."
He knew Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi fairly well, and naturally understood how powerful he had become.
Yet Hongjun shook his head.
"Wrong."
"He will not win."
Taishang Laozi froze.
Surprise flickered in his eyes.
He hadn't expected his teacher to be so blunt.
Meanwhile, in Chaos, the battle between Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi and Tongtian had reached a fever pitch.
With Tongtian holding nothing back, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi was gradually being beaten into a fury.
The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his hand began flashing with light, while the Pangu Banner behind him radiated a chilling, baleful aura.
Tongtian's expression never changed. He merely unleashed one sword strike after another.
And every strike broke through Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's moves.
That was all.
Elsewhere, as Nuwa watched their clash, she finally couldn't help voicing her amazement.
"I never imagined Fellow Daoist Yuanshi's strength would exceed my expectations."
Yet what she was even more curious about now was how Tongtian would deal with Yuanshi's relentless pressure.
Zhunti and Jieyin, who had been making snide remarks moments earlier, both quietly shut their mouths.
They had only been deliberately trying to provoke Taishang Laozi because he had been there.
Now, studying the battle before them, they vaguely sensed something amiss.
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi seemed to have the aid of the Heavenly Dao's aura.
Although Saints like them had transcended the Primordial World, they remained bound by the Heavenly Dao.
Beneath the Heavenly Dao, even Saints could not resist.
If Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi had received the Heavenly Dao's blessing, wouldn't Tongtian be certain to lose this battle?
But when had Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi gained insight into this aura of the Heavenly Dao?
He had certainly kept that news tightly under wraps.
In truth, Laozi was also puzzled now.
With the Heavenly Dao's aura strengthening him, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi should have been unable to lose, no matter what.
Why, then, had his teacher said that?
Laozi dared not speak. He could only watch the battle before him in silence.
Tongtian, too, felt the oppressive force emanating from Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi.
Yet his expression did not change in the slightest. He simply raised the Qingping Sword steadily.
Having cultivated to the level of Saints, their moves were not actually complicated. Rather, they carried the aura of the Great Dao, with its vast rises and falls.
Facing Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's advancing pressure, Tongtian merely raised his hand in silence.
The movement was exceedingly slow, yet they could feel the piercing sword intent within it.
As Tongtian's hand slowly descended, that sword strike cleaved through the heavens.
At the same time, the Laws of the Sword and the Laws of Formations within Tongtian began surging ceaselessly.
The Thirty-Six-Petaled Green Lotus behind him also began spinning rapidly.
Within Chaos, only the soft, spectral glow blooming from the Thirty-Six-Petaled Green Lotus behind Tongtian remained.
With every measure that glow intensified, Tongtian's sword intent grew stronger by the same measure.
And the pressure bearing down on Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi grew heavier still!
Even though Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi currently had the Heavenly Dao's aura strengthening him.
The Thirty-Six-Petaled Green Lotus behind Tongtian showed not the slightest sign of weakening. Its light had not even dimmed.
Boundless power erupted continuously from the Qingping Sword in Tongtian's hand.
His strike not only tore through the void, but also cleaved Chaos apart!
Faced with such a mighty blow, even Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi couldn't help his expression changing.
Unfortunately, the sword light came too swiftly and too fiercely. Before Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi could even react, he saw it break through layer after layer of his defenses and reach him.
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi wanted to bring out a defensive treasure, but he was still too slow!
The sword light violently shattered the clear radiance of the Jade Ruyi before Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi, then struck his body!
The sight made everyone present involuntarily hold their breath.
Within Chaos, Tongtian glanced at his Qingping Sword, still pristine as new, then gave a soft scoff.
Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance, each seeing profound disbelief in the other's eyes.
They had considered that Tongtian might win, but they had never imagined he would win so easily!
Moreover, even if the two of them had faced Tongtian's last strike instead, they would probably have struggled to withstand it.
They were all Saints, yet at this moment, they felt the enormous gulf between them.
So terrifying was his power!
At that moment, Jieyin and Zhunti felt nothing but relief.
Fortunately, they had not pushed Tongtian too hard before.
Otherwise, if Tongtian's Interception Sect truly fell victim to the tribulation, his fiercely protective nature would surely drive him to fight them until one side was dead!
Unfortunately, someone still failed to grasp the situation.
Alongside their relief, Jieyin and Zhunti felt a growing sense of delight at another's misfortune.
The two of them had narrowly escaped this calamity.
Hadn't someone else suffered a tremendous loss instead?
In any case, as long as they weren't the ones losing out, they were happy!
Nuwa's eyes were also filled with astonishment.
The strength Tongtian had displayed far exceeded anything she had imagined.
And at that moment, Zixiao Palace was steeped in utter silence.
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